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F. M. FURBER Jan. 19 I926.

SEAM RUBBING 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 //\/I/E/\/ 70R Filed April 16 1921 Jan. 19 1926. 1,570,057

F". M. FURBER I SEAN RUBBING Filed April 16,. 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.2.

Jan. 19 1926.

F. M. YFURBER 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 ZZZ Jan. 19 1926.

F, M. FURBER SEAM RUBBING Filed April 16 1921 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Jen. l "l tlNiTE.

FREDERICK I i i. FUBBEE. F REVERE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIG-NOR 'IO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATEREON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPCRATION OF NEW 3' SEAMI RUBBIN'G.

Application filed April 16,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, Fnroiunron ld. Funnels,

a citizen of the United States, and resident of Revere, in the coui'ity of Suffolk and 5 State of Massachusetts, have invented cer' tain Improvements in Beam Rubbing, of which the following description, in connec tion with the accompanying crawings, is specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to seam-rubbing or seam-flattening machines, and is illus trated as embodied in machine in which a heated seanrpressing member flattens a seam against a seamsupporting roll.

W hen the edges of two pieces of material, such as fabric or leather, are sewed together, the marginal portions beyond the seam stand out at right angles to the surface of the material; and it is often desirable to smooth or rub the seam, to lay these marginal P01 tions fiat. In order to do this, it is first necessary to separate the two marginal per-- tions, and turn them over, whereupoi they may be ironed flat. The devices heretofore used for separating these portions, or opening the seam, sometimes -tailed pro erly to member, causing the machine to 1am, or tu ni both portions in the same direction. oroover, diiiiculty has been foiu'ul in iu'zparting a pm'manent set to the scam by the use of prevlonely-known seam-pressing members.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved sea1n-rubbing machine which obviates these diiliculries by the use of novel seam-queuing and SQHEH-1')1'S8ll1g devices.

One featijire of this invention is to be found in a novel seam opening device com prising a seam supporting gr'iide iilate, :1 separator or plow to separate and turn down the marginal portions beyond the seam, and guide members having surfaces 1;, parallel to the surfaces of the plow. 'lhe illustrated guide members are the plow, on either side, by distances equal 1921. Serial No. 461,793.

to the thickness of the marginal portions joined by the seam. They extend ahead of the plow, to receive the unseparated seam, and are there spaced from one another by a distance equal to the sum 0t these thick nesses. This provides positive guidance or the seam, and makes jamming impossible by reason of both marginal portions crowding on the same side of the plow. 'lIhere is provided, moreover, novel and improved means for adjusting the guide members for seams of difierent thickness.

A further feature of the invention is to be found in a novel seam-pressing member which co-operates with a power-rotated seam supporting and feeding roll to flatten the opened or separated seam. This menr her is yieldingly pressed against a seam supported by the roll, and is heated by a stationary electric heating unit. According to one form of the invention, mecl'iauisnl is provided for imparting to this heated pressing member, while in engagement with the seam, a rubbing or ironing motion. According to alternative forms, in addition to such a rubbing motion, the forward end of the pressing member is given a pounding motion by suitable actuating mechanism. Such seam-pressing members impart a permanent set to the flattened scam in a very eliicient manner.

Further features oi the invention are to be found in an improved casing enclosiim, the actuating mechanism, and having an opening to permit access thereto, which is cover d by a plate carrying the seam-opening device; in novel means to depress power-rotated roll to permit withdrawal of a flattened seam, and adjustably to fix the upper position of the roll; and in various combinations and specific constructions more fully described in the following detailed description and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly broken away;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the ma chine at right angles to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the opening device;

Fig. 1 is a section on the line 44, Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55, 2; Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66, Fig. 2; Fig. 7 shows an alternative construction of the seam-flattening member; and

Figs. 8 and 9 show a second alternative construction.

The illustrative machine is enclosed in a casing 10, carrying an adjustable bracket 12, on which is mounted a motor ll, which drives the main shaft 16.

Driven from the main shaft 16 by bevel gears 20 is a vertical shaft 22, which rotates a horizontal shaft 2st through a worm gear 26. The outer end of shaft 21 carries a bevel gear 28, which meshes with a cooperating bevel 30, which is keyed to a vertical shaft 32 to permit it to be slid up and down relatively to gear while constantly driven thereby.

The shaft 32 is carried by a slide 3 1, movable vertically in the casing 10 as shown in Fig. 2. It is yieldingly raised to upper position by a spring 36, whose tension may be varied by turning the adjusting bolt 38, and it may be depressed by pulling downwardly on link 10 by means of a suitable treadle, not shown, and treadle rod 42. The upper position of slide 34: may be adjusted by means of a set-screw 14, which engages a pin 16 carried by the slide. The pin passes through a slot 48 in the casing 10.

Supported by the slide 31 is a feeding roll, or rotary WOTK support 50, constantly driven from shaft 32 by bevel gear 52. Firedly mounted on the slide 34, in co-operative relation to the work support 50, is a guide plate Set, which supports the work, as shown in Figs. tt and 5, during the opening of the seam, and delivers it to the work-support 50 for flattening. By this arrangement the rotary work-support 50 and the guide plate 51 ay be depressed by the treadle rod 12, to permit withdrawal of a flattened seam which, because of its form, cannot be passed -irely through the machine.

:Lll opening in the front of the casing 10, to permit access to the enclosed mechanism, is closed by a plate 60, held by clampscrews 32. lriounted on this plate is a member (341-, vertically adjustable by turning a threaded device 66, and held in adjusted position by a screw-and-slot clamp 68. The lower end of member (5% is formed into a plow 70, for opening a seam as shown in Figs. *1 and 5.

Two s n guides 80 are mounted, one on each side or the plow 70, to co-operate there with in opening a seam. These guides are pivotally n'iounted on member 64, at 82, and are pressed together by a spring l letween them is a threaded stem 86, on

ich is a conical nut 88, the forwardlyprojecting portion 01" which may be, as illustrated, split and contracted, to hold the nut firmly in adjusted position regardless of the vibration of the machine. By screwing the nut inwardly the conical portion forces the guides 80 apart against the tension of the spring 84, thus permitting adjustment of the position of the guides. For convenience of illustration, the right-hand seam guide 80 is broken away in Fig. 2.

The novel form of these guides is shown clearly in e. They are spaced from the plow to provide two channels A and B for the two margins being separated and turned ready for flattening. Forwardly of the plow, the guides project somewhat toward one another, to provide a narrowed channel C, equal in width to the um of the widths of channels A and B.

In previous forms of plow-and-guide seam-opening devices of this general charac ter, the channel at C has not been narrowed to be equal to the sum 01 channels A and B. 'llheretore, in such forms, when channels A and B are of the correct width to guide the margins of a seam being opened, as shown in in Figs. 4 and 5, the channel corresponding to C is too wide to support the unopened seam properly. A careless operative may therefore allow the entire unopened seam to be deflected in one direction by the plow, either into the channel corresponding to A herein, or the one corresponding to B. This results in jamming the work in the machine, and ruining the work. By the arrangement tescribed above, the channel C is just wide enough, when properly adjusted, to permit ready insertion oi the seam, which is therefore necessarily guided in such a manner that it must invariably be opened properly, and jan'nning is impossible.

The seam-flattening member is illustrated in one modification at 100 in Fig. 2, mounted for a rubbing or ironing motion only. In alternative forms it is si'iown at 200 in Fig. 7, and at 3-00 in Fig. 8, mounted for both rubaing and pounding motion.

In the rear end 01 the movable member 100 (or 200 or 300) is a recess 1.02, in which is a sleeve 10% 6) carrying a heatunit 106 to which current may be supplied through suitable lead wires 1.08. The sleeve 1041, and therefore also the unit 106, are held stationary during the movement of member 100 by a bracket 110. To reduce the heat lost through conduction by bracket 110, holes are provided therein, to reduce the conducting area to a minimum.

Men'iber 100 is integral with, or secured to, a supporting projection 112, in which holes may be provided, it desired, to minimize heat loss. This projection is secured to a cross-piece 114 between links 116, mounted on spindles 118, supported by links 120. pi rctallv mounted in casing 10 on. a spindle 122. Links 120 are constantly oscillated by a lever 12-1: pivoted to projections 126 thereon at 126. Lever 1241: terminates in a sleeve 156, surrounding an eccentric 132 on shaft 1.6.

Links 11.6, carrying member 100, are stantly urged about spindles 116 as an axis by a spring 16 1 connected at one end to a lug on lever 12% and at its other end to a cross-piece 136 between. the upper end of links 116. This maintains member 100 in yielding en en'ient with a seam on the worlnsuppoi 50, as it is given a rubbing or ironing oscillatory motion about spindle 122 as an axis, by lever 121: and eccentric 132.

it is desirable that the heated. ironing or rubbing member 100 should not come in contact with the woi.'l :sup .)ort 50 when there is no seam thereon. To this end the righthand spindle 118 (Fig. 1), which is fixedly secured to link 116, carries an arm 16S, having a roller 1 10 at its outer end, which may follow an adjustable cam member 1 12. If there is a seam on the work support 50, the rubbing member 100 is lifted thereby against the tension of spring 134, so that roller 144) does not engage the cam member 142. If no seam is present, the roller and cam hold member 106 just out of o gagement with the work-support 50, cansing it to follow, in its oscillatory motion, a path in a circle concentric with the worksupport or feed roll 50.

The member 100 is cut away at 14 1, to facilitate the entrance of the seam, and also to leave at 146 the shortest possible seamengaging surface which will flatten the seam effectively. By reducing this surface to a minimum, the heat consumed is less, and moreover a greater portion of member 100 is left to act as a heat reservoir, lessening the fluctuation in temperature.

In Fig. 7 is shown an alternative construction of the seam-flattening means. For convenience of illustration this figure shows only the upper portion of the feed roll and the modified parts. All other parts of the machine are the same as previously described.

According to this modification, a member 200 provided, cut away at 24:4: to provide a hammer head 242 and an ironing portion 216 which has the same function as the iron ing portion 1&6 of member 100. Member 200 is suspended from spindle 122 by a link 216 provided with a fork 220 which bears member 200 by a pivotal mounting 218. A spring 2&8 constantly-presses against fork 220 and a lug 250 on member 200, thus maintaining the ironing portion 246 constantly in yielding engagement with a seam during the pounding motion of the hammer head 2 12.

This pounding motion is provided by a link 226, pivoted to link 216 at one end and to the frame 10 at at the outer end and. by forn'iing the upper and ofliuk 216into a. sleeve surrounding an eccentric 22-32, rotated COD- from shaft 16 by pulleys 230-24l0 and belt 22 1. This mechanism moves the hammehead 242 in an elliptical path to pound a seam against the work-support 56. At the same time, in combination with the constantly-acting spring 2&8, it imparts an ironing or rubbing motion to portion El i-6 of member 200.

In Figs. 8 and 9 is shown another alternative construction of the seam-flattening member. In this form, the seam-flattening member 300 has an ironing portion 3e16, heated. by the unit 106, and yield ingly held, by spring 34.8 bearing on lug 3516, in engage ment with. a seam on the work support 5%). The forward portion of the portion 3 5516 is forked, and a rotary pounding portion or hammer 342 is mounted in the fork on shaft 3. S, which is rotated from shaft 12 by belt 332 and pulley As shown clearly in Fig. 9, the seam is pounded by portion 34-2 and ironed down by portion 346 of the seam-flattening member 300.

In operation, a seam is placed on the guide plate 54-, and the marginal portions are guided into channel C between guides 80. These guides and plow open the seam, as shown in Fig. Thereafter the seam is fed forward by the power-rotated feed wheel and work support 50, while the seam is flattened as shown in Fig. 6, by member 100, 200 or 300, as the case may be.

\Vhile I have described in detail an illustrative embodiment of my invention, it is not the intention to limit its scope thereby, or otherwise than by the terms of the claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a seam-rubbing machine, in combination, means to open a seam, a poweractnated support and feed device for the opened seam, and a heated, power-actuated member to flatten the opened seam again t the support it leaves the seanl-openi g means.

2. in. a Feanhrubbing machine, in combination, plowand guide members for c-g'urniiui; a seem, a power-rotated support for the opened seam, and a heated power actuated device to flatten the seam against the support and co-operate with the support in feeding the seam.

6. In a seam-rubbing machine, in (-uinld nation, a plow and gnles for opening a seam, a guide plate for the seam being opened, a power-rotated supporting roll to receive the opened seam, a heated iron to rub the seam against the roll, and a lever to oscillate the iron back and forth to fiatten the seam.

in a seanrrubbing machine, in combination. means to open a seam, support for the seam opened thereby, a heated iron to p ress the seam against the support, and 111Cl1 anism to move the iron back and forth to flatten the seam, and to feed it across the support.

5. In a seam-rubbing machine, in combination, a ridged plate to guide a seam, means to open a seam guided thereby, a powerrotated work-support to r ceive the opened seam therefrom, a member to flatten the opened seam against the work support by a combined pounding and rubbing motion, and means to heat said member.

(3. In a seam-rubbing machine, in combination, a scain-r'aippoi't, means to open a seam passing on to said support, and a heated member to pound the opened seam against the support, and to feed it thereover.

7. In a seanrrubbing machine, in combination, a work support, a guide plate to position a seam relatively to the support, a blunt plow spaced trom the guide plate to open a seam passin th rebetwecn, and guide members spaced Irom the plow a dis tance approximately equal to the thickness of one margin making up the seam, and spaced from one another in front of the plow a distance equal to the thickness of both margins.

8. In a seam-rubbin machine, in combination, a seam-pattening element, actuating mechanism therefor, cover enclosing said mechanism and having an opening giving access thereto, a plate covering said opening, and a seam-opening device mounted on said plate.

9. In a seam-rubbing machine, in combination, a guide plate having a ridged surface arranged to enter the acute angle between two flexible sheets joined by a seam, a blunt plow having longitudinal axis approximately parallel to the ridge on said surface and arranged to open the seam, and guide members each spaced from the side of the plow a distance equal to the thickness oi one of. the flexible sheets, and spaced rom each other in front of the plow a distance not exceeding the thickness of both oi" the sheets.

it). In a seam-rubbing machine, in combination, a guide plate to support a seam, and a blunt end plow and guide members spaced therefrom and arranged to open a scam supported thereby, and constructed to provide a space for the passa e of the seam which is constricted immediately in front of the plow to compensate for the thickness of the blunt end of the plow and be uniform throughout in cross-section and approximately equal to the thickness of the seam.

11. In a seam-rubbing machine, in combination, a support, a member having one portion spring-pressed against the sup port to rub a seam thereagainst and portion oscillated to pound the seam against 'her In bin; machine, in com-- binaticn, i heated member a rran god reagainst. and ark and forth in both directions.

1.5. In a seam-rubbing machine, a seam support, a heated member to flatten a seam therez-igainst, a lever to impart a rubbing motion to said m mber, and cam to pre vent the heated member from engaging the support when there is no seam thereon.

16. in a seam-rubbing machine, in combination, a po Yer-rotated seam support, a heated, power-actuated member t5 l'latten a seam thereagainst, 1 id means to more the supportaway from said member to permit removal of a seam which has been flattened.

17. In a seanrriibbing machine, in combination, a powerofotated roll to suppor a seam, means to flatten a seam thereagainst, gearing to rotate said roll, and a lever to move the support away from the seamfiattening means while constantly maintaining it in operative connection with said gearing.

18. In a seamrubbing machine, in com bination, a hammer to flatten a seam with a combined pounding and rubbing action having one portion intermittentl to pound against the seam and another portion constantly to rub against the seam, and niec. ito heat the seam to set it in flatteneo position.

ln a seain-rubbing bination, a seam-ironing member having a recess therein, a lever to inn iart a rubbing motion to .I'aid member, a heating unit in said recess, and a support to maintain said unit stationary.

20. in a machine or" the class described, in combination, a reciprocating wok-engaging member having a recess therein. a sleeve in said recess, a support to maintain said sleeve stationary, and an electrical heating unit in said sleeve and held stationary thereby while heating the reciprocating member.

21. In a machine of the class described, in combination, Ell reciprocating work-engaging member having a recess therein, an electrical heating unit in said recess, and a .pport to maintain the heating unit stationary, said'support having holes therema'hine, in -omthrouoh o reduce the amount of heat conducted thereby.

22. it seanuliattcningr member having): one end formed into a hammer and th other end into a scam-ironing device, and having a tor a heating unit in the scam-ironing end.

323. In a seanrrubbing machine, in combination, a work supporting guide plate arranged to engage the reverse side oil a seam and guide it into the machine, and seam guiding members to eo-operate therewith, spaced apart to permit the seam to pass therebetween, and single names for simultaneously adjusting said members to guide scams oi? different thicknesses.

2%. A. seam-opening device comprising a plow tor opening a seam, and a guide on each side at the plow extending in front thereof, each of said guides being spaced from the plow a distance approximately equal to the thickness of one of the marginal portions joined by the seam, and approaching each other in trout oil the plow to be spaced from each other by a distance no gerater than the sum of the thicknesses of the two marginal portions making up the seam.

25. A. seam-opening device comprising a plow tor opening; a seam, and a guide on each side thereof adjustable toward and from the plow, said plow and, guides being constructed and arranged to provide passages for a seam before and after it is opened, the cross-section of the passage for the iillbpolled seam being equal to the sum oi the cross-sections of the passages for the opened seam irrespective of variations in the adjustment of the guides.

26. In a scamdrubbingmachine, in combination, a plow for opening a seam, a seamp uide on each side of the plow and a device tor simultaneously adjusting said guides relatively to the plow.

in a seam-rubbing machine, in comliinatiou, a plow tor opening a seam, a guide on each side thereof, a spring to press said guides toward the plow, and an adjustable men'iber to cam said guides apart against the tension of the spring.

Elli. In a seam-rubbingmachine, in combination, a rotary work-support to feed a piece of work containing, a seam to he acted upon, means to flatten the seam against the simport, means to depress the support to permit withdrawal. of work between the means and the support, and to rotate the worlosupport. sean'i-rubbing machine, in combination, a work support, a seam-flattening member to press a seam against the support, and a lever to rub the seam fiattening member back and forth engagement with the seam.

30. In a seam-rubbing machine, roll to support a seam, a movable member to fiatten a seam against the roll, and a cam to prevent said member from engaging the roll when no seam is thereon. I i 31. In a seam-rubbing machine, in combination, a support for a scam, a member to flatten a seam against the support, a lever to pound the forward end of said member against the scam, and a spring to press the rear end oi said member against the seam.

In a seam-rubbing machine, in com bination, a seam support, and a member to flatten a seam thereagainst, and means to impart to said member a combined pound ing and rubbing motion.

In a seam-rubbing machine, a rotary worlcsupport, a frame carving said work.- support, a guide-plate for a seam carried y the frame, means to depress the frame to allow work to be withdrawn from the machine, and mechanism to rotate the worksupport whether or not the frame is depressed.

3%. in a seam-rubbing machine, a seamtiattening member, links pivotally supporting said member, a power operated lever to oscillate the links to impart a rapid rubhing motion to said member, and a spring constantly urging said member to turn about its pivot into engagement with a seam which is being flattened.

35. lln a seam-rubbing machine, in combination, a seam-rubbing member, oscilating links pivotally supporting said member, lever to oscillate the links to impart a rubbing motion to said member, aspring urging said member to turn about its pivot into engagement with a seam, and a plate preventing undue turning of said member if no seam is present.

In a seam-smoothing machine, a hammer to flatten a seam, and mechanism to in'ipart to one end of said hammer a pounding motion and to the other end an ironing motion, to flatten a seam and iron it into flattened position.

31 In a seam-rubbing machine, in coml'iination, a seam-flattening; member, a spring, to press one end of said member against a seam, and a lever to pound the other end of said member against the scam.

In a seam-rubbing,- machine, in eom- M), bination, a seam-flattening member, a

spring; to press one portion of: said member against a seam, a lever attached at one end to another portion of said member, a link connected to the lever intermediate its ends, a strap on the other end of the lever, and an eccentric in the strap, by which arrangement the second portion of the seam-flattening member is given a pounding motion in an elliptical path.

39. In a seam-rubbing machine, in com bination, a seam-flattening member having one end formed into a hammer for pounding a seam, the other end formed into a smoothing iron to press a seam, and having a cut out portion between the hammer and the smoothing iron, a spring to maintain the smoothing iron end of said member in en gagement with a seam, and mechanism to impart a pounding motion to the hammer end.

40. A seam flattening member of metal, one end of which is formed into a hammer, a cut-out portion behind said hammer, and an ironing portion behind the cut-out portion.

41. In a seam-rubbing machine, in combination, seam-guiding members, and a single device for simultaneously adjusting said members for seams of different thickness.

42. In a seam-rubbing machine, members constructed and arranged to guide a seam passing therebetween, a spring to press said members together, and a device to move them simultaneously away from each other against the pressure of the spring, to adjust the distance between the members for seams of different thickness.

43. In a seam-rubbing machine, in combination, seam-guiding members, a spring pressing said members together, a threaded stem between said members, and a threaded cone-shaped nut on said stem to cam the members apart against the pressure of the spring.

4A. In a seam-rubbing machine, seamrubbing means, a rotary work-support, mechanism to rotate said support, yielding means to maintain said support in an upper position, and a device to depress said support against the action of the yielding means, said mechanism being constructed and arranged to rotate the support both in the upper and in the depressed position.

45. In a seam-rubbing machine, seamrubbing means, a rotary work-support, mechanism to rotate said support, yielding means to maintain said support in an upper position, a device to depress the support to permit withdrawing work thereover, and means adjustably to limit the upward movement under the influence of the yielding means.

46. In a seam-rubbing machine, in combination, a Work-support, and a seam-flat tening device comprising an ironing memher and a rotary seam-pounding member carried thereby.

4-7. A seam-rubbing machine comprising, in combination, a rotatable yieldinglymounted work-support, means for opening a seam and progressively guiding it to the worl support, a rotary seam-beating device having a plurality of beating portions, and means to rotate said device to beat the seam on the support.

48. A seam-rubbing machine comprising, in combination, a rotatable work-support, means for opening a seam and progressively guiding it to the work-support, a rotary seam-beating device having a plurality of beating portions, and means to rotate said device to beat the seam on the support and feed it thereover.

A seam-rubbing machine comprising, in combination, a rotatable work support, means for opening a seam and progressively guiding it to the work support, a rotary shaft above the work support and parallel to the axis of rotation thereof, a drive member and a seam-beating device on the shaft, and gearing means engaging the drive memher to drive the heating device to flatten the seam.

50. A seam-rubbing machine comprising, in combination, a rotatable work-support, a power-rotated seam-beating device having a plurality of projecting members rapidly and successively to engage a seam on the support to flatten it, and means i eluding a plow and opposed guides for opening the seam and guiding it between the work-support and the seam-beating device.

51. In a seam-rubbing machine, in combination, a plow for opening a seam, a pair of relatively adjustable seam guides arranged to engage opposite margins of the material making up the unopened seam, and a single adjusting means for determining the positions of said guides relatively to each other.

52. In seam-rubbing machine, in combination, pivoted seam guides arranged to engage opposite margins of the material constituting an unopened seam, means for yieldingly pressing said guides toward each other, and rotatable screw threaded member havii'ig a conical portion constructed. and arranged to spread the guides apart upon rotation of said member.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

FREDERICK M. FURBER. 

